An exploration of music through timbre

pierrot lunaire

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In honor of this spooky holiday, I’m including links to “The Banshee” by Henry Cowell, and “Nacht” from Pierrot Lunaire by Arnold Schoenberg, two very famous pieces that incorporate extended technique. They are wonderfully creepy, particularly the video that goes along with the Schoenberg.

Some things to think about while listening:

What makes these, or any piece of music, creepy? What makes a sound “normal” or comforting, as opposed to scary? How do horror film composers capitalize on our evolutionary instincts (pertaining to sound) in order to frighten us?